A Century Together
by rapturesrevenge
Summary: KisuYoru complete What started as a challenge to encourage me to draw and broaden my artistic capacity has now become a series of fanfics. Rated for mature themes in some of the shorts.
1. Light

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

AN: This started when I began drawing pictures (not Anime-related) for a 100 Theme Challenge on which I thought would work well for short stories of all genres. So far, it's worked. This is _not_ my first fanfic or series, though it is the first one I've ever posted on I encourage critiques and comments, and frown upon flames.

Happy reading!

**Theme 03: Light**

There was a time when everyone was against him – everyone except her. She alone stood by him, even following him into exile. Sometimes, he questioned her reasons for following him, and always, she'd laugh it off and tell him he needed more than Benihime to watch his ass.

Looking at the woman sleeping beside him in his bed, he noticed that even in the pitch-black of his room, he could see her clearly. She glowed – not in the same manner that the former Miss Kuchiki (now Mrs. Kurosaki) did in recent months – with a light reserved only for him.

As he watched her, she stirred, opening her beautiful golden eyes. He smiled as she stretched a little before drawing his face toward hers for a soft kiss.

Yes, in his darkest hours, or even on those nights when the power was out and no one could see, he could always see her. She was his light, and he'd never get sick of proving to her time and time again why it was true.


	2. Breaking the Rules

**Theme 50: Breaking the Rules**

They were of noble blood and were thus expected to behave according to certain rules and standards.

Neither of them did.

She, the dominant, bossy tomboy, never acted as a lady should.

He, the lazy, brutally intelligent charmer, was late coming and going.

They very nearly got Byakuya in on the fun, but gave up on their younger cohort after a while.

They began to see each other when they knew it wasn't allowed, what with her betrothal to young Byakuya (who, in the end, broke the rules and married that girl from the Rukongai) and he to someone else, most likely Kuukaku. Neither cared much about anything except themselves and each other.

They ran away together. They trained Ichigo, who was so much like the two of them, it was uncanny. They did so much, their parents were probably turning in their graves.

Breaking the rules? Second-nature, for sure.


	3. Mother

**Theme 22: Mother**

In a way, they'd always been parents. She'd been almost like a mother-figure for the kids she and Kisuke trained to save the human world and the Soul Society innumerable times. As she gradually began to hang around more and more, she became like a mother to those two kids her childhood friend kept around.

Despite how accustomed to mothering (using methods both orthodox and otherwise) she'd become, she still felt apprehensive. Uohana-taichou, who'd come to the living world to confirm her suspicions, told her it was normal, and gave her some advice. "You should tell him, Yoruichi-san," the gentle captain of the medical unit told her. "You've lived for many centuries together. I'm sure he'll be happy."

It had been a month since Uohana-taichou verified everything, one month since she'd been given those words of encouragement. And she still hadn't told anyone, much less the man undressing her. As he gently lay her back, she took his hand. His lazy eyes met hers, a gentle smile playing upon his lips. At her nervous sideways glance, he moved down and kissed the naked skin of her abdomen, then returned to her lips. No words were needed; they understood each other perfectly.

"I've heard that cats make excellent mothers," he teased lightly, earning him an annoyed look. That look quickly faded, though, when he kissed her nose. "Especially when they have someone they love around to help them."


	4. Gone

**Theme 100: Gone**

He thoroughly detested the mornings when she wasn't there, especially after another one of their nights together. He knew it wasn't her style to hang around more than a few days. Still, he'd noticed that she was beginning to stay longer and longer, and he knew she'd return.

That didn't ease the pain he still felt when he'd wake up to find her gone, like she'd never been there at all.

She thoroughly detested the mornings when the restlessness ate at her so much that she couldn't stand it. He gave her so much and expected nothing in return – that's the kind of man he was around her – and here she was, paying her lover back by leaving.

As was her wont, she sat up. The sheet slid from her bare chest, pooling in her lap as she moved to vacate her space on the bed.

The arms that encircled her waist, the hand that gripped her wrist, they were most unexpected. She jumped; she'd initially thought him asleep. "Stay,"

"Kisuke,"

"I can't keep that promise we made if you're gone."


	5. Hero

**Theme 68: Hero**

Urahara Kisuke is no hero. He is a scientist, a genius, a bum, but certainly not a hero. He is seen as a crooked smuggler, a criminal, a pain in the ass, a rebel (of sorts). He is nothing, in his most humble and honest opinion, that constitutes a hero.

Yes, he saved Ichigo's life, as well as Rukia's. He'd helped Ukitake research the Bount. He had, from the shadows, saved the living world and the Soul Society, twice over, in fact, and would probably continue to do so. Still, he refuses to be credited for all he's done.

She sees him as a hero though. He has all the right qualities: he's good-looking (even with stubble on his face), his heart is always in the right place, and he wants to protect the ones he cares for, even if only from the sidelines – why else would he insist on training those kids?

Oh yes, he is a hero. He just never likes to be recognized as such.


	6. Pen and Paper

**Theme 81: Pen and Paper**

She loves watching him from the bed as he takes up his quill and a few sheets of paper. Always, he sits down at his desk, and, genius though he is, his attempts at writing whatever it is he wishes to write always end in failure. It is always worth seeing him frustrated.

Eventually, his frustration gets the better of him and he returns to his place on the bed, beside her, over her, under her, inside her. It doesn't matter as long as he returns, for upon his return, he realizes that they are like pen and paper, and the poetry they create is far greater in significance than the poetry he tries to write at the desk.


	7. Rape

**Theme 92: Rape**

He remembered the first time he'd kissed her. It was a special memory, one they both adored. He adored it because he found her to be rather adorable (and later on, very sexy) when she was just the slightest bit flustered, angry, or whatever. She adored the memory because, looking back, her reaction was rather funny.

So now, as he closes the shop after Tessai leaves with Ururu and Jinta, he moves over to join her in the house. They sit in companionable silence, just enjoying the nearness. Suddenly, he leans over and kisses her cheek, just as he did the first time he'd kissed her. She backs up, flustered. "Kisuke!"

He chuckles. "Did I just rape your sensibilities, my dear Yoru-chan?"

Her chest still heaves, her face is still tinged with the red undertones of a blush, but she smirks. "Yes, you did."


	8. plus

**Theme 82+ (plus)**

He didn't doubt her when she told him that men were lucky bastards, when she ranted about this and that. He understood it was part of that whole monthly business women went through, he understood it came with the territory of expecting a child, and now he most definitely understood that it was part of bringing said child into the world. Science, as well as experience, taught him that much.

Experience is what influenced his wise decision to wait until her agonizing ordeal was over and Uohana-taichou had placed the squalling infant in its mother's arms. "Yoru-chan," he whispered in her ear, "you said I'm a lucky bastard because I'm a man, but I'm not."

She turned tired eyes to him curiously.

He smiled and gently touched the tiny life they'd created together. "You keep proving why I'm so pathetic. Men have no right to say what they possess is strength when you've shown time and again, without trying, that women are far stronger than any man could ever hope to be." He kissed her jaw. "I'd say that's a plus."

And so it was.


	9. Storm

**Theme 96: Storm**

Those green eyes rarely held a storm of emotions in them. They always held a mystery, like he knew something that no one else did (which was often the case). They held a playful, albeit rather lazy sparkle, but also a sadness. And when he looked at her, the fires of love, lust and need burned as bright as the sun.

She could count on one hand the number of times his eyes were filled with conflicting emotions: that first night that consummated their growing love; the day he'd been banished; and the day she guided those kids into the Soul Society. And now that she'd wordlessly informed him of their little special something – some_one_ – those beautiful green eyes surged with emotion much like a thunderstorm surges with electricity. Love waged war with fear as well as anger – anger at himself for not following proper procedures, which, he was sure her father would kill him for had he not been dead already.

Her lips touched his, bringing him back to reality, only to lose themselves again in each other.


	10. Heaven

**AN:** Hey everyone, just letting you know that I'll only be updating this series with one short per day (provided I have internet access) because school started back up yesterday, and I need to devote my time to my studies. If there is ever a day that I _don't_ update, don't fret, I will be back with another edition to this series.

**Theme 07: Heaven**

He had never given Heaven much thought. The Christian position was something he just couldn't understand. For that matter, he knew that she didn't understand it either. It defied all they knew. It defied science.

Were this Heaven the Christians spoke of physical, tangible, he mused, then it would be his room above the shop, with her in his arms, together on his bed. It didn't matter to him if she were in her feline form or not. Stroking soft black fur came to him just as easily as stroking her richly-tanned skin. Any chance to hold her, human form or feline, was Heaven.


	11. Pain

**Theme 88: Pain**

She'd head the horror stories, how it hurt. The other women never told her outright; it would be rude to talk to a member of the great Shihouin family about anything concerning a young couple's first intimate experiences. That didn't stop her from eavesdropping on conversations the female shinigami of lesser status would have amongst themselves away from the men.

And so she was mentally prepared for any unpleasant feelings as she and Kisuke allowed the more primal urges take over that night in his room. He was just as inexperienced as she was. She found herself grateful for that much; Kisuke was a handsome guy, but he was also lazy, and he only had eyes for her. He rather enjoyed letting her make the decisions, only intervening when necessary.

Her confidence was shaking now as they stood before each other, as he undressed them both – was she doing the right thing? Would what they had die after this one act?

Calmly, he cupped her chin. "Relax. You can kick my ass when we're done if you don't think I was gentle enough." Instantly the pain of feeling inferior, stupid and even dirty washed away and she calmed down.

She still experienced that infamous discomfort, but for Kisuke, she knew she could endure any amount of pain necessary to protect herself, him, and what they had.


	12. Introduction

**Theme 01: Introduction**

Upon first meeting, he was the first to state his name.

For a time afterward, they were always introduced together.

For a century, he always introduced himself on his own.

When they were reunited, she reintroduced herself to him.

For every introduction, there is a new beginning.


	13. Love

**Theme 02: Love**

Honesty was in everything they did and felt, despite how something may seem at first. Though they would never admit it, the feelings they had for each other were love at its purest. It was so special; just as special as the feelings young Hitsugaya-taichou felt for Hinamori, just as unique as the feelings Ichigo felt for Rukia, yet stronger and more developed. They never dared to say it. It just wasn't their way to use words in place of action when it came to being together.

But, as he always said, "love is love," and it shone as bright as the sun, the moon and the stars when they looked at each other.

**AN:** Okay that's it for this upgrade. You got 4 shorts today because I'm going out of town tomorrow night, and I won't have internet access, which means no updates. Enjoy!


	14. Misfortune

**Theme 13: Misfortune**

Why anyone would make such a big deal over Friday the 13th, he simply didn't understand. Misfortune didn't limit itself to just one day, it could happen on any day of the year, any day of the month, any day of the week. Damn gaijin and their stupid superstitions.

He recalled his misfortunes, which, while few in number, were great in significance.

Her father discovered them "having a moment" in the garden and prohibited them from ever seeing each other again. She still snuck out to see him; nothing could keep her from him, apparently.

At the academy, he always landed himself in detention – unintentionally too – and just to make sure he had company, she would – intentionally – do the same.

He was declared a criminal and banished from Seireitei. She abandoned everything – family, their other friends, her title – just to be with him.

A chuckle escaped his throat. She looked up at him curiously. He glanced over at the calendar, noting the date Tessai had made him circle with red ink. "For all the misfortune in my life, I've been most fortunate when it comes to you," he told her simply, and with a smile and a kiss from her, they resumed what they'd started.


	15. Blood

**Theme 17: Blood**

For ages, the sight of her blood enraged him. It meant that some asshole had managed to outpace her, and no one had the right to usurp the powers of a goddess such as her. Of course, by the time he found out, she'd have already killed the beast – man or hollow – who dared touch her.

So tonight, as she staggers inside from training Ichigo, bleeding from various cutes from Zangetsu and scrapes from hitting the walls of the training room, it takes every bit of self-control to keep him from throttling his protégé. The anger fades as he watches her change into a cat to help her wounds heal faster. She isn't angry at their student, she's proud of him.

Oh yes, he's proud too, he just hates seeing her hurt so badly she bleeds.

12/15/2007

**AN:** My apologies for the extended hiatus. I didn't mean to go two months without an update. Now that my winter holiday has started, I've got more free time, so expect more updates until January 06, 2008.

I'd like to thank those of you who have reviewed, added this collection to your favorite stories, and added me to your author alerts. It means a lot to me that you've taken the time to read this and let me know what you think/how much you like it. Thank you.


	16. Soft

**Theme 94: Soft**

Whenever he's playing with the kids, rescuing Ururu from Jinta, of simply refusing to punish Jinta because the brat won't pull his weight, she teases him. As good-naturedly as ever, he laughs it off, admitting that her words are true. Then, he turns around and reminds her that she's become the same way.

Once upon a time, he'd been the captain of the 12th Division, making him a brutal fighter. Once upon a time, she'd been the leader of the special forces, just as brutal if not more so than he on the battlefield. They hadn't lost their edge – he could still call awaken Benihime and jump into battle before anyone had the chance to blink. She's lost some condition in the past few months due to her relative inactivity, but despite that, she still maintains her title as shunshin. No one wants to take that away from her.

They aren't as strict as some people wished they would be, but he knows they can't get too soft, or it'll get them and their family killed.


	17. Broken

**Theme 76: Broken**

Everyone owed him their thanks. He'd been the one to unite all of them, a bunch of kids with broken lives from the living world and a broken system with its broken inhabitants. Without him, they would've gone on without knowing one another and life would've been pretty boring.

Ichigo watched the man in question as he ran his candy shop and doted on all the normal human children who weren't gifted as he and his family and friends were. For all practical purposes, the teenager mused, Urahara should be as broken as the rest of them, but strangely, he wasn't. First, Urahara was made of stronger stuff than everyone else, and secondly – and most importantly, for that matter – the crooked old man had Yoruichi.

There was no way a man like Urahara could be broken, even just a little bit, not when he had a woman like Yoruichi in his life.


	18. 4:29pm

**Theme 40: 4:29pm**

He watched the clock anxiously. They were due to arrive back home soon. Would they be permitted to leave, or would they have to escape?

A hell butterfly appeared in the shop window. Kisuke held out his hand; he barely felt the butterfly land on his finger. A smile appeared on his lips just before the butterfly took wing once more.

_Don't worry. Everything is alright. We'll be home just after midnight._

Kisuke looked at the clock again. It was 4:29pm. "Only seven-and-a-half hours left, Benihime," he murmured.


	19. Breathe

**Theme 10: Breathe**

Being with him was like breathing: so natural, second-nature, unstoppable except in the event of death.

Sometimes, he would intoxicate her so much with his presence that he had to remind her to breathe. Intimate little caresses, kisses that rained in so heavenly a manner along her jaw, neck, and collarbone, husky, heated whispers in her ear…they all served to restart her lungs when she returned to his side.

When she left, she felt as though she were suffocating. When she returned, she found that he was the oxygen that helped her breathe again.


	20. Under

**Theme 18: Under**

He never told a soul how it felt to have her pinned, writhing in pleasured ecstasy under him. In that regard, he was very possessive; no man was to know how great she was. Despite his outwardly lazy, unmotivated manner, Urahara Kisuke always sprung into action if he suspected another man of trying to attain she who was his to love, cherish, honor and pleasure.

Really, he needn't worry, because she didn't. She was the only woman he'd have in his bed – in any position – and he was the only man she'd allow herself to lay under.


	21. No Way Out

**Theme 54: No Way Out**

They had a way of getting out of sticky situations if the need arose. They'd always been like that. In fact, they'd even vowed to haul ass the hell away from any predicament they felt they could escape from.

There was one position, however, that they had no way out of: their relationship.

And, to tell the truth, they rather liked it that way.


	22. Advertisement

**Theme 95: Advertisement**

Advertising was right and good if it involved increased business for his shop – be it in the form of children wreaking havoc on their unfortunate guardians' wallets for candy or the shinigami who would stop by in need of something while on assignment.

Advertising, for the longest time, was not a good thing when it came to their relationship, but it was his jealous side that did it. They hadn't planned on the young teenagers under their tutelage learning of the whole affair, but when an angry Kuchiki Rukia showed up one afternoon with a particularly nasty glare in his general direction, they realized that his punching Ichigo for the poor boy's embarrassed blush when she changed from cat to woman was, perhaps, an advertisement of sorts.

He let the kid beat the stuffing out of him later that week to apologize.


	23. Drum

**Theme 67: Drum**

If looks could kill, the glare she sent him while Ichigo performed the ultrasound would've turned him to dust right then and there. Judging from the vein popping out on Ichigo's temple, the young med school graduate would probably help her. "Oi, Sandal-hat, cut it out or I'll kick you out."

Only when the image popped up on the ultrasound monitor did the relentless drum of his fingertips on the arm of the chair finally cease.


	24. Sorrow

**Theme 28: Sorrow**

Such intense feelings of sorrow weren't normally ones he felt. Nothing really bothered him, and if it did, it was usually something that he could change, if not deal with.

And then she brought word of Kaien's death.

He couldn't change it. He couldn't deal with it.

He was grateful, then, for her, lest his pain consume him.


	25. Need

**Theme 55: Need**

Right from day one, he knew he needed her, in whatever manner, be it naked with him in his bed or fully clothed in his arms while he recovered from some physical or emotional trauma.

The years of separation only served to drive him to distraction with the need to see her, hear her, touch her, taste her.

When he finally saw her, for the first time in ages, he realized that she needed him too, in much the same manner that he needed her.

* * *

AN: An update! Thanks for reading, everyone! 


	26. Europe

**Theme 26: Europe**

"I want to go to Europe…"

A dark eyebrow arched gracefully as golden eyes peered at him like he'd started smoking crack. "…why?"

"No reason. I hear Paris is the city for lovers to visit." He drew her into his arms, cuddling her close in his lap.

She laughed. "I don't need a trip to Paris, Kisuke."

"You should let me spoil you more often."

Yoruichi kissed him with a smile. "You spoil me enough as it is. Keep your fantasies of Europe in your head. I'm sure you'll want to act them out later in bed."


	27. Die

**Theme 43: Die**

The few time she'd ever been seriously injured and near death, Yoruichi thought of Kisuke, how he might react to her death, how he might remember her. It was not a warrior's nature to think this way, she knew. "You will die if you think of death," her father once said. The very idea caused her to snort every time.

She could count on one hand the number of times she had very nearly met her end. They were all times she'd wondered how her childhood friend would cope had she not come out of those encounters alive. Pride may goeth before a fall, but Yoruichi wanted to rub her father's face in his pessimistic logic.

His logic never suited her, anyway.

"Kisuke," she began one evening as they watched the sunset together. "What would you do if I died?"

He looked at her almost sadly, as though he wished she hadn't asked such a question. Curiosity and the cat, he seemed to remind himself. "I would die, Yoru-chan, because without the sun, all life would cease to exist."

* * *

AN: Edit posted. I wasn't too fond of the original, so I quickly went back and rewrote it.


	28. Cut

**Theme 09: Cut**

There were two distinctive sounds in Urahara Kisuke's life, the only sounds that could ever excite him. The first was the sound of his beloved Benihime cutting through something, anything. The second was the sound Yoruichi made when she was content – she purred, even when she wasn't in feline form. These two sounds alone were his source of excitement.

One cuts, the other soothes.


	29. Biohazard

**Theme 56: Biohazard**

There were times when he wished he could get away with being somewhat mean to her, but wouldn't, because, even though it was his house, she'd made him sleep somewhere that obviously wasn't his room, much less his own bed. The fact that she could kick his ass at any given moment only enforced his good behavior.

It was usually during times like these that he wished he could stick a sign that said "biohazard" to her shirt. But, out of love as well as the desire to sleep in his bed, he never did.

April 17, 2008

Hey all, sorry for the extended hiatus. I honestly do not intend to leave you all hanging. I'm going to try to finish this before the quarter ends. However, as posted on my profile page, updates will be few and far between. I made the Dean's List last quarter, so I really need to bust tail to stay on the Dean's List.


	30. Young

**Theme 48: Young**

Neither of them looked a day older than twenty. Neither of them felt a day older than fifteen. Even as the centuries passed in the living world, they never seemed to age.

Running around as they did, keeping those fool kids from getting killed, they were glad they were still so young.


	31. Distasteful

**Theme 23: Distasteful**

"Oh, you'll love what Ichigo said when I transformed in front of him," she purred as he expertly massaged the aches from her body. His deep, guttural chuckle encouraged her to continue. "He said it was immodest and distasteful."

Kisuke's chuckle turned into a full-blown laugh. "I told you he's a virgin. Poor kid. He's probably scarred for life."

"Don't say that…" she trailed off into a moan when he found a particularly sore spot between her shoulders. "He's got a head on his shoulders, at least."

"Oh, so my behavior is distasteful?" he asked, shrugging off his gi and rolled her over. That smirk of his never left his face. It only grew when he allowed her to pull him so that he was over her.

Yoruichi laughed as he pressed his soft lips to her bare shoulders. "I like your distasteful behavior. I wouldn't like it if every other man out there was like you."

That much was true; men like Kisuke were few and far between, but he alone was the only one who knew her quirks, what she liked, what she didn't. And being the cat that she was, she'd only put up with some things from certain people. Distasteful behavior was something she'd only tolerate from Kisuke.

"Well, then, I'll just have to keep that in mind, won't I?"


	32. Rot

**Theme 05: Rot**

Whenever Yoruichi and Kisuke happened to disagree or fight, them never resorted to telling the other to "go to hell" or leave, or anything along those lines. It was a line they never dared cross, no matter how angry they became with one another.

She saved her most caustic remarks for the rare occasion he decided to tease her – sexually or otherwise. He, on the other hand, never said a word. It was taboo.

This afternoon was one such occasion. They had the day off, they were bored, and so they decided to kill a few hours training. Neither had broken a sweat, but just when it looked as though Kisuke was finally going to take her seriously rather than play around, he forfeited.

Now, Yoruichi knew she never should've trusted that ornery glint in his eyes. Her frustration was directed mostly at herself, but Kisuke deserved some of it for being a tease. "Kisuke, I hope you rot in hell."

"Oh, you don't either." He chuckled as he reverently set Benihime down to hold his queen. "I know you'll get me back later, anyway."


	33. Away

**Theme 08: Away**

Every night, until they returned, Urahara would sleep with a stuffed animal, a black cat. Though it would never be as good as the real thing, he knew it was the only way he'd ever get to sleep with her away.


	34. See

**Theme 37: See**

"I don't understand what the problem is," she said as they talked about her intentions up in his room. "It's just a joke."

"You'll scare him." His tone was clipped, indicating his displeasure. Inside, he was sure he'd fall over from laughing so hard if he were able to go, but he wasn't going to let her know that.

"He's a virgin? All the better."

Now he was jealous. "Yoru-chan,"

She smirked. "Oh, I get it. You just don't want another man to lay his eyes on me." She pressed up against him, rubbing her furry feline face against his chin.

Finally, he smiled, and kissed the top of her furry head. "Damn right. No one is to see you but me."


	35. Walk

**Theme 35: Walk**

The footsteps falling on the floor, coming ever closer to him, were so soft, it were as though the owner only wished to grace the floorboards with her presence for no more than a few seconds at a time. They were light and airy, hinting at the poise with which the young woman carried herself.

If not for the silence of that cold December night, he would never have heard her approach.

Still it was but one of many things that he loved about her walk.


	36. Sacrificial

**Theme 57: Sacrificial**

Along the long, winding, obstacle-ridden road that was their relationship, they made countless sacrifices. He knew it was part of life, and while it tended to be upsetting at times, he saw no problem with it.

So when his son was born, he realized that he was going to have to make his biggest sacrifice yet, just as Ichigo and Ishida's fathers had: give up the fight until his child came of age.

Watching the tiny infant sleeping in his arms, he figured it was a sacrifice he could definitely make.

* * *

**06/11/08** - Hi everyone! I am SO sorry, making you all wait like this. School is finally done, which means you will be seeing more updates from me on a regular basis until this collection is finished. I would like to thank everyone who's reviewed/fav'd/added this collection to their story alert list...simply put, you're the best. Thanks.


	37. Insanity

**Theme 12: Insanity**

To the people who didn't know him, Urahara Kisuke was prone to ongoing bouts of insanity. It never seemed to end.

"Ah! Yoruichi-san! How do you stand him?!" Ichigo, Rukia, or Renji would often yell in frustration. Tessai would remove himself from the vicinity then, taking Jinta and Ururu with him as he fled.

Yoruichi would concede the point that Kisuke could be annoying at times, but there were a few reasons – legitimate ones at that – for her being able to put up with him. First, she always told them, the sex was great. Second, Kisuke wasn't as bad as they made him out to be. Third, and most importantly, she loved him.

"Love makes people crazy," she would say pointedly, fixing her gaze on Ichigo and Rukia. "You kids should know that."


	38. Hunger

**Theme 87: Hunger**

After seeing her for the first time in years, even in feline form, he felt that familiar dull ache exploded into full-blown hunger, an awakening o how long he'd been starving for her. How he longed to taste her lips, her skin, her tears.

Of course, looking into her golden eyes, he realized how much she hungered for him as well.


	39. FUCK

**Theme 79: FUCK**

It was just one of those days, one of those god-awful days where everything went wrong. The kids kept fighting, Tessai was sick – probably from his own disgusting remedies – the cash register was broken, and Ichigo's training session hadn't gone very well.

On top of all that, he burned not only his breakfast, but his lunch and dinner too.

"FUCK!!"

Gentle hands took the frying pan from him. Soft lips covered his when he turned in surprise. "Not in front of the kids, Kisuke." Her eyes glinted happily, and with a smile, he forgot his troubles.

"Ee, sou desu. Not in front of the kids."

06/16/08 - Happy (belated) Father's Day to any dads out there. I hope everyone had a nice time with their families.


	40. Voodoo

**Theme 62: Voodoo**

Voodoo was something he did not believe in. There was just no earthly – or heavenly – way if could ever exist.

That all changed when Yoruichi, out of sympathy for Ichigo, helped the young shinigami with a little project a sadist like Hannibal Lector would love. Ichigo would stab a little doll in the likeness of old Sandal-Hat and Yoruichi would use her shuunpo to come up behind her beloved and claw him wherever Ichigo stabbed the doll.

And then, from that infamous day onward, Urahara Kisuke believed in voodoo.

* * *

Just a note about the last installment...the theme title really is "FUCK." FoxNede (on deviantart) is the one responsible. I just write something according to whatever the next theme is.


	41. Safety

This time we'll have a look at Kisuke and Yoruichi from Ichigo's point of view.

* * *

**Theme 97: Safety**

There was always a strange sense of safety that Ichigo felt when around the two. They pushed him, nearly killed him, and never failed to place him directly in harm's way, yet he still felt safe. He knew that old Sandal-Hat and Yoruichi had his back.

Benihime's blade flitted before his face. "No daydreaming."

"Ee, sensei."

"Don't think for a moment you're safe with me. I could easily kill you."

"I know."

Still, that made him feel safe. He just couldn't explain why.

* * *

07/01/08: Many thanks to my reviewers! I love you guys (and gals)!


	42. Citric Acid

**Theme 41: Citric Acid**

Cutting lemons – or any other citrus fruit, for that matter – was one of the few things about cooking that she truly hated with an unrivaled passion. Not even Kisuke's inexplicable despire to fling rice into her fur was this bothersome.

"Dammit!"

Kisuke walked in. "Lemon juice in your eyes?"

She glared, and her foul expression only darkened when he chuckled. "Shut up, Kisuke."

Rather than give her the satisfaction of replying, he held out a pair of lab goggles. Yoruichi eyed the goggles with eyebrows skewed curiously before raising her incredulous gaze to stare at him long and hard. Kisuke chuckled again. "Use these. They'll protect those pretty eyes of yours."


	43. Smile

**Theme 14: Smile**

He never felt as happy as he did just then. His smile had never felt so real in ages. It was a quiet, knowing smile, outwardly lazy, but they both knew it was real. One needed a trained pair of eyes to see the genuine happiness behind it, otherwise the total effect was lost.

"Say something," she urged him after he kissed her and gently goaded her.

"I love you," he whispered, leaning toward her to kiss her again.

07/15/2008

Summer vacation is in full swing, and I am loving it! I've been coming up with ideas for fanfictions left and right, so expect a creative boom before summer's end.

As always, many thanks to my readers and reviewers, who make this series so much fun to write. You're all the best.


	44. Sport

**Theme 51: Sport**

Sometimes, his idea of fun annoyed Yoruichi to no end. "Kisuke, leave Ichigo alone."

By the time she said that to him, it was usually too late. On the rare occasion he would actually settle down and listen to her, he would smirk at her while she stared in shock.

"Sometimes I think you enjoy this too much," she told him as Ichigo vacated the shop rather quickly, face stained red by the embarrassed blush that had risen into his cheeks. She loved tormenting Ichigo as much as Kisuke did, but she knew when it was okay to cross the line and when it wasn't. Either Kisuke couldn't see the line, or he was being a general all-around ass about it all. Yoruichi was willing to bet on the latter over the former; Kisuke wasn't as stupid as he often pretended to be.

"Tis all fun and games, love," Kisuke spoke, voice husky. "And surprising you is worth every bit of it."


	45. Urban

**Theme 29: Urban**

This urban lifestyle wasn't really meant for them, even after all these years. He still didn't use a cash register, even though Tessai did, and aside from the necessary things, he never really bothered with technology. She was just as likely to forego the TV and those other things Jinta and Ururu liked, but damned if they gave up those modern luxuries that were hot showers, foam mattresses and indoor plumbing.


	46. Break

**Theme 06: Break**

They stood there forever, staring each other down. Each was waiting for the slightest break in concentration so they could attack without worrying about a well-timed counter-attack.

She blinked. He seized the opportunity to push forward through the branches of the tree, snatched her up, and proceeded to climb down amid the hisses and flying claws. Silently, he thanked the bird that chirped for causing that break to open up for him.


	47. Flower

**Theme 31: Flower**

"Did you know the lilies will bloom soon, Yoru-chan?" Kisuke asked as they walked through the gardens at the Shinigami Academy. Already, many flowers were in bloom, but of the flowers that hadn't yet blossomed, it was the lilies that he looked forward to most every spring.

Yoruichi laughed musically. "Kisuke, why would a man concern himself with flowers?"

They stopped, Kisuke having the most serious expression on his face. "Because," he said, his mouth twitching into a smile. "The lilies were in bloom when I discovered the most beautiful and precious flower I'd ever seen."

He leaned forward and kissed her smiling lips to prove his point.

* * *

08/07/08: Sorry for the delay! Feel free to blugeon me to death as punishment for my laziness, if you wish. I'm off my ass, though, finally, and I'm in one of those super-creative mindsets.

As always, my most heartfelt thanks to my readers and reviewers. You all are simply the best.


	48. Abandoned

**Theme 38: Abandoned**

She left him without warning. The only friend he still had abandoned him just like all the rest. And God, how he missed her.


	49. Fortitude

**Theme 20: Fortitude**

It alone had gotten them here, they knew this. Fortitude. Strength of heart, body, soul and mind. It had kept them alive through the times they wanted to give up on everything.

The strength of their relationship was no different. After all, they were stronger together than they were apart.


	50. Iron

**Theme 93: Iron**

CLANG

There it was, that glorious sound of metal against metal, capable of arousing any battle-toughened warrior into action. In their long, immortal lives, they had heard it many times. At first, the sounds of swords clashing could make a young shinigami quiver in fear and lose their resolve, but as fear gave way to nervous excitement, then to eager anticipation, all was well.

Yoruichi yawned as she drifted between dream-filled darkness and wakefulness. No, she didn't need to worry so much, though most women became agoraphobic during their pregnancy. That clang, the slap of iron against iron, let her know that Kisuke was ready to defend her with Benihime at his side. It gave her a will of iron, and a resolve set in stone.


	51. Mirror

**Theme 75: Mirror**

It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul. What is left unsaid is the reality of the eyes also serving as a mirror.

Kisuke has long lived by the principle that the day one's image can be seen clearly in another's eyes as one sees it in a mirror, then one is destined to be with that person forever.

The day he saw himself in another's eyes happened to be the day he kissed a girl named Yoruichi, on the first day he met her no less.


	52. Desert

**Theme 60: Desert**

Sweat ran into their eyes as the sun beat down upon their playground with no mercy. Despite the hot spring she'd insisted upon, it was still a desert in there, with few places to hide and even fewer to run to.

Barren. Lifeless.

Just like a desert.


	53. Sick

**Theme 85: Sick**

If one could stand it, a subscription into the mind of Urahara Kisuke could best be described as "sick."

At least, that's how Ichigo and his friends felt.

How Yoruichi stood it, they weren't sure.

* * *

09/11/2008

I live! Thanks to all who reviewed!


	54. War

**Theme 21: War**

Ichigo knew the moment he stepped into the Urahara Shouten, he'd stepped into a warzone. He also knew that he had to get out of there. _Fast._

Food had been flung all over the place. Ichigo didn't think it was possible for foot to stick to some of the places in which he found it. Judging from the looks on his friends' faces, they didn't think it was possible, either.

"Kisuke!" Yoruichi yelled, her feline eyes narrowed dangerously as a spoonful of sticky rice splattered into her shiny black fur. "This is ridiculous!"

"All's fair in love and war, my dear!" Came the jubilant reply. "Especially in a food war!"


	55. Desecrate

**Theme 53: Desecrate**

At first, she'd been reluctant to allow Ichigo into this place. Looking around her, she could see little ghostly shadows of two children, growing up, playing, training. Every rock held a memory, a secret. She didn't doubt that if the cliffs could talk, they would tell of actions performed out of friendship, out of love, out of lust. Allowing someone else, an outsider, into this place…it was like walking on a grave.


	56. Dark

**Theme 04: Dark**

Outside, crickets filled the summer night air with music. Their chirps mingled with the sounds of cars, trams, and people coming in and out of Tokyo. If not for the streetlights and other man-made light sources, people wouldn't be able to find their way around in the dark tonight. It was cloudy, threatening rain. There was no moon to give light to the town.

Yoruichi chuckled as her cat eyes used what little light was in the room to carefully slink through the room, her furry paws muffling the sound of her light footfalls. She didn't need much light to see the obstacles that littered the floor, effectively making Kisuke's room a pedestrian's nightmare. Nor did she need any light to see the smile on his face as she jumped back onto the bed, assuming her human form the instant his arm draped over her.


	57. Spit

**Theme 16: Spit**

Yoruichi wasn't sure which was worse: wanting to spit the disgusting stuff out right away, or swallow it and risk death.

Kisuke, who stood at the sink with her as he shaved, looked at her bemusedly. "Yoruichi, you're supposed to spit the Listerine out when you're done swishing it."

She glared murderously at him, unable to fire some caustic response at him due to her mouth being otherwise occupied. Yoruichi knew what people did with mouthwash – Kisuke used it everyday. Because the stuff was potentially toxic if swallowed, the user had to spit it out into the sink. That hadn't prepared her for how disgusting Kisuke's mouthwash was. It had to be one hundred times stronger than the strongest mint toothpaste known to man.

Kisuke raised an eyebrow comically. "We've been sharing the same bed since we were adolescents. You're perhaps the biggest tomboy I know. And _now_, of all times, you're worried about being a proper lady?"

Yoruichi spat the Listerine in his face.


	58. Tower

**Theme 54: Tower**

"Kisuke,"

"Hmm?" Urahara didn't look away from the stars.

"Have you considered that she might be in the tower?"

Now Urahara looked away from his beloved moon and stars. His eyes fell on the black ball of fur thoughtfully. The cat growled; so he hadn't considered the possibility. It looked away in contempt for the man's thoughtlessness. "You're impossible."

"Just don't think about it, Yoruichi." Urahara murmured. "If she is locked up in the tower, please don't consider my stay in there. We don't need you to lose focus."

The cat switched its tail, annoyed, but began to purr when the man kissed the silky black fur on its head. To the tower, then, if that was what it took.


	59. Drown

**Theme 91: Drown**

Neither was much for drowning themselves in alcohol. They would much rather drown in each other.

* * *

  
_24 Oct 2008 - _Hey all. Three new themes will be posted today. Enjoy!


	60. Grey

**Theme 19: Grey**

The saying, "When we're old and grey," didn't really apply to them. They were old by the standards of mortals. In the shinigami world, things were different. They had a while yet until their hair was as grey as the hair of Yama-jii's beard.


	61. Dream

**Theme 39: Dream**

Sometimes, when Kisuke sat outside on the roof under the stars, he would daydream of days gone by. Days of happiness. Before his exile. Before the fuss.

Now, if Yoruichi catches him staring into space, he realizes he needn't think about the past. Dreaming about a future with her is much more appealing.


	62. Silence

**Theme 15: Silence**

It pounded in his ears as loudly as his heartbeat, yet without any sound at all. Whispers in the dark wafted through it, thick and oppressive. Kisuke hated it. He desperately longed for it to be broken as easily as their friendship, as their live-giving relationship had all those years ago.

"Where are you, Yoru-chan?" he asked the desolate confines of his bedroom. His voice seemed to echo, bouncing off the various surfaces in his otherwise empty room. He sounded strange; his voice hoarse and ill-used.

Over a century would pass before he was released from his mute prison. The bars melted away they day he saw that black cat sitting on his doorstep.


	63. Through the Fire

**Theme 89: Through the Fire**

What they had was strong enough to stay standing despite some of the greatest tests: a century of separation, exile, numerous fights and disagreements, wars.

They met each challenge head-on. No fear. They would overcome whatever obstacles littered the path before them, stronger, wiser, and in the end, together.


	64. Fairy Tale

**Theme 61: Fairy Tale**

Yoruichi snorted derisively the first time she heard the Cinderella tale. The very idea sickened her. It went against her years of experience and upbringing – as well as her own values – that a woman should be so pathetic. Now, that wasn't to say she didn't know her fair share of pathetic females (Orihime, despite her power and abilities, immediately came to mind), it just meant that no heroine should ever be so meek and mild. Women like that were walked all over and relegated to "sidekick" status. Again, Orihime immediately came to mind. Yoruichi herself felt she would rather die fighting Hollows or Aizen's lackeys than wait around for a fairy godmother to help her get everything she ever wanted.

All she had? She fought for it.

Even Kisuke, her not-so-stereotypical prince charming, was worth fighting for.

* * *

**AN:** Apologies to any Orihime fans out there. I hate her with a passion.


	65. Kick in the Head

**Theme 58: Kick in the Head**

She was all that personified the term "deadly accuracy." As such, Kisuke swore to duck after he saw Yoruichi fight for the first time. If she let fly with one of those skull-cracking jumping backwheel kicks, who knows how he'd come out of it.

His private vow didn't save him from a nasty headache and a concussion the first time he sparred with her.


	66. Precious

**Theme 36: Precious**

All they saw before them was worth defending. Woe to the fool who attempted to destroy that which was most precious to them: their lives, their friends, and each other.


	67. Obsession

**Theme 71: Obsession**

Kisuke was sure it was an unhealthy obsession, the way he just couldn't get enough of her. Not like he'd do anything about it anyway. She was the one who was more inclined to take action than he was, and if she wasn't doing anything about his insatiable need for her, then it required no action on his part.

Fine with him, really.


	68. Do Not Disturb

**Theme 63: Do Not Disturb**

Lazy summer mornings were nearly as good as lazy summer nights. Until it got too hot, that is. No one wanted to hover around anyone else for very long. Those captains who were easy-going allowed their subordinates to loosen their uniforms (in which case the men were better off than the women) or to just go ahead home (in which case the women were better off). Kyouraku-taichou actually let his squad go on those days when it was too hot to even breathe properly.

Yoruichi wasn't _that_ laid back, but she was rather relaxed. Kisuke made note of that one particularly sweltering August morning as he hid out in her office. Anything that would annoy or frustrate some other captains would just roll off Yoruichi's back like water. Her way of dealing with things? Just as a duck would shake water from its feathers, Yoruichi would shrug off whatever she felt didn't need her attention. Kisuke smirked. They really were a lot alike in the way they handled things within the squad.

But if there was one thing the Goddess of Flash _was_ serious about, it was her office. When the door was shut, no one had any business entering without knocking. Another smirk appeared on Kisuke's face as he and his partner came down from the highs they'd reached that unbearably hot August morning. His higher-ranked lover's office was the perfect place for a little extra fun those mornings when either of them wanted to forget about the rest of the world and only concern themselves with each other.

* * *

**AN:** I only just realized how long that one was...wow.


	69. Triangle

**Theme 90: Triangle**

Feeling torn is not a pleasant feeling. It's like adolescence: trying to hang on to childhood, while being ripped in the opposite direction toward adulthood. Very few people can actually say they _enjoyed_ the mood swings and raging hormones and awkward growthy stages.

But though this problem wasn't quite like growing up, it was fairly similar and just as bad. Kisuke felt himself at war with his own emotions and caught in the middle of a triangle. He pictured himself at the topmost point of a triangle. The base point on the right represented his friendship with Yoruichi. The other represented those secret, hated feelings he had begun to experience.

He loved her.

Even worse, he could see the way she looked at him. Her eyes were different.

_She knows. She **understands**._

And now she was waiting for him to decide.

But she was his captain. Some things took precedence over personal matters. He couldn't shame her...he _shouldn't._ But...but..._DAMMIT!_

Kisuke shook his head fiercely. He was thinking too much. When he thought too much, his stomach went sour. He really didn't want to spend the rest of the day in the bathroom.

_First,_ he decided, _using rank as an excuse to hide isn't an option._ There were _more_ than enough shinigami who had..._ahem_...relations of sexual nature with one another. Kyouraku-taichou was one such example, and he was a captain! So no, rank wasn't an issue.

And now he was back to Square One. He was in love with his best friend. _In love with his **best friend**_.

His best friend who just so happened to love him as well.

_Oh shit,_ he slumped over his desk in despair. _I really am screwed._


	70. Still

**Theme 42: Still**

After centuries and centuries, there was only one woman capable of reaching out and holding him in place for more than two seconds, only one who could steady him when he was unstable, only one who could clear the fog as easily with a sharp word as with a gentle touch. She was still at his side, even after many others had forsaken him, and would most likely remain with him until the end of time.


	71. Memory

**Theme 11: Memory**

Every night, ghost-like memories would surface, unbidden, as she would succumb to the hypnotic spell sleep cast over her. Gentle touches as familiar as her own reflection in a puddle of water graced her flesh, or, in most cases, her fur. They went on over the course of that hellish century she spent apart from him. She longed for them to stop and return to the chasms and crags of the deepest recesses of her mind. She nearly succeeded in burying them once.

It scared her. The world suddenly seemed so very empty. Alone in the world though she was, she knew it was her memories that kept her sane (many doubted her sanity anyway). No wonder people talked to themselves, lost their minds, or blew their brains out. The silent loneliness was too much.

Living without his physical person was one thing. Living without the memories of the times they had together was another matter entirely.


	72. Rain

**Theme 30: Rain**

Steady pitterings and patterings on the roof above roused them from what had been a rather enjoyable nap. A low, seemingly gentle rumble of thunder caused him to sit up a little to shake the sleepy fuzziness from his head while she burrowed further under the blankets. Business no doubt had slowed because of the rain, and a glance at the clock on his nightstand confirmed his suspicions. He had gone upstairs for his usual half-hour catnap; it had been two hours since he left the affairs of the shop to Tessai and the kids.

"I don't see how anyone could feel down on rainy days," he murmured, still sitting with his knees drawn up to his face.

"Ichigo has a good reason," she replied sleepily. "So does Rukia. So do you."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Why feel sad when the world is being cleansed and renewed?"

"And since when are you a waxing poetic?" she teased, cracking one golden eye to peer up at him. Her smile was hidden by the blankets she had gathered to keep the chill away from her neck, but her bedmate knew it was there.

"Since three seconds ago," he teased back, rolling her onto her back and caressing her tanned skin. "Because the rain is bad for custom, which means I get more time with you."


	73. Seeing Red

**Theme 86: Seeing Red**

Flashes of red exploded like bombs before her, then her memory was blank. She couldn't remember anything except the blind rage. One moment, she was watching her comrades as they were tossed aside like rag dolls, as Kisuke's broken body was flung into Ichigo, hurtling both men into the face of a cliff. In the next moment, she was standing alone, bathed from head to toe in her enemy's blood while her bruised companions stared in frightened wonder.

Kisuke told her what happened afterward following a long bath. What she heard ran off her like water off of a duck's back. The lives of those she cared for had been in danger. The man she loved had nearly been killed. She couldn't remember what she'd done, but she would do it again to protect him when he couldn't protect himself.


	74. City

**Theme 64: City**

There wasn't a corner of the Seireitei they hadn't explored together. In the rare occasion either of them found something while wandering around alone, it was always quickly shared with the one who wasn't there at the time of the discovery. The city had places that were off-limits to all but seated officers – even Yoruichi with her distinguished breeding wasn't allowed access to some areas – a problem they easily solved by ascending the ranks until they were captains.

Tokyo was infinitely more interesting than Seireitei, though, in Yoruichi's opinion. Kisuke shrugged. Tokyo was interesting, yes. Sometimes, though, it was _too _interesting. He still wasn't sure he liked this city, even after having lived there for well over a century. Maybe it had something to do with the changes. Or, he pondered, watching a familiar dark feline shape trotting up the alley, it was her.


	75. Two Roads

**Theme 44: Two Roads**

The fist that found its way to his jaw was not something he'd been expecting. Sure, it hurt, but the pain took a backseat to the shock he felt. _Yoruichi_ of all people, had _punched _him.

"You have two choices, Kisuke!" Her voice was tense, almost a vicious snarl. "Finish what you started, or take the easy way out and get yourself killed. Take your pick!"

_Finish what you started._ It was the same as, _Stay here, with us. With me._

That path would surely lead to hardship, to heartbreak. _Suffering builds character,_ he'd heard people say, though he couldn't remember when, where, or from whom he'd heard it. Perhaps his past life, the one before he woke up in the Soul Society?

_Take the easy way out._

Hidden in those words, he knew she was telling him he could give up on everything, on them, but if he did, she would give up on him as well. He would be alone. Alone was not what he wanted to be right now. Alone, he would be weak. Defenseless.

Dead.

She watched him with narrowed eyes. If she appeared angry enough, he wouldn't see the hurt, or the hope. Her reasoning was flawed, though, she knew. The way he was looking at her, as though it were the most unbelievable thing in the world that she would actually punch him, told her he was looking _into_ her, not really at her or through her. Kisuke always had a talent for something like that.

"Yoruichi…"

His voice betrayed how lost he was feeling. Her eyes softened a little. "Which is it, Kisuke?"

"I'll finish it." He offered her a small, lop-sided smile that didn't reach his eyes, but reassured her nonetheless. She nodded, then hugged him gently. His arms encircled her after a moment, and then they just stood there quietly. After several minutes, they took the first step down the road. Together.


	76. I Can't

**Theme 73: I. Can't.**

Desperation.

_This isn't good,_ Yoruichi grouched to herself as she dodged the Hollow's attack. _This isn't good._

"Ah, you're here," Kisuke's voice floated smoothly on the air, in and around the maddened grunts and growls of the Hollows surrounding them as she landed to his rear. Relief flooded her senses; Kisuke had been roughed up a little, his trademark hat missing and his gi ripped in a couple places where a Hollow – perhaps that mantis-looking one in front of him – hooked its claws into the fabric in an attempt to disembowel him, but he looked none the worse for wear. "I take half, you take half?"

She shook her head, smirking a little. "Last one to finish up buys the winner a drink."

"Aww, no fair."

"Not my fault you're a lazy bastard." She leapt away from him, determined to win their little bet.

Kisuke snorted. "Ah, what the hell."

They battled on and on, a seemingly endless display of power and grace as they cut their enemies down. Neither even considered a temporary retreat. They had too much to fight for. _I can't turn my back on this fight,_ they repeated to themselves over and over. _I can't._


	77. Words

**Theme 80: Words**

"Admit it."

"Not happening!"

The sound of metal scraping against metal sang in the still air of the canyon. The young woman sprang away to dodge her companion's slashing, only to leap at him once again. Ill-prepared for her advances, the young man faltered only slightly, using her momentum to shift the match so the advantage was his again.

They were very evenly matched.

He watched her with lazy eyes as she flickered in and out of focus, the image ever larger the closer she got.

He blinked, and tensed. _Where is she?_

The sharp coolness of her blade against his throat caused him to freeze. "Only three words, Kisuke. We're grown now, it shouldn't sting so much."

"Yoruichi, my dear, it hurts a man's pride to admit defeat to a woman." He felt his skin burn behind his ear. "Regardless of how willing he is to give himself over to her."

He heard her chuckle. A sigh escaped him. He couldn't move, unless he was so inclined as to slit his own throat, and he knew she was willing to stand there for however long it took before he finally cracked. "Alright, dammit! You win!"

Her sword lowered. He made his move, kissing her senseless as quickly as he could and fled their training ground. _She forgets that actions speak louder than words._


	78. Annoyance

**Theme 69: Annoyance**

Children shouting out in the yard roused her from the darkness of a dreamworld. They quieted suddenly at a sharp word from someone inside the shop below.

"Sounds like Kisuke is finally getting sick of Jinta's shit," she muttered sleepily, rolling over to try to go back to sleep. "'Bout damn time, too."


	79. Old

**Theme 52: Old**

Sometimes, Kisuke felt his age.

When people he'd come to know aged and died while he appeared ageless, he felt the sting of eternity, the desire for oblivion.

One hundred years was nothing to him, equal to perhaps an hour in the lives of mortals. But in that time, so many mortals came and went. Kisuke watched them enter into life in the blink of an eye only to disappear in the next.

It was during times like this that he longed for the life he'd had before everything went to hell.

But there was a paradise in this land of death and rebirth, evolution and revolution. She was as ancient and ageless as he. She too understood the pain of immortality. She understood what it meant to feel old, worn, and decrepit under the skin and muscle of youth.

She was the one constant he still had. He'd be damned if he ever let her go.


	80. Alone

**Theme 99: Alone**

"Alright, alright," the shop owner grumbled, not even bothering to clothe his upper half as he staggered to the front door through a sleep-drunken haze. He woke up immediately when he saw who it was. "Ichigo?"

"I need to talk to you."

Kisuke looked back over his shoulder. "I'll be back in a bit,"

"Okay." Yoruichi disappeared back up the stairs.

He sat with the young man in front of the shop. All was still, save for the faint rumble of thunder in the distance. "What brings you here at three in the morning?" Kisuke watched the way the young man hugged his knees, chin resting on his forearms. He watched the way Ichigo's jaw muscles clenched and released, the way the kid's expression changed from anger to confusion to hurt to something else in rapid succession.

She'd left for the Soul Society without telling him again.

Ichigo was rather like him in this way. The kid would never admit to being lonely, yet when he found himself feeling so utterly lost and alone, he sought the company of one or both of the people who always seemed to find a way to make him forget.

Kisuke placed a hand on his student's shoulder. "Come on. You can stay in the spare room until morning."

He would never turn this boy away, not as long as his own memories of being left behind still burned in the back of his mind.

* * *

**AN:** I personally see some similarities that Ichigo's relationship with Rukia (I'm an IchiRuki fan, I admit) has with Kisuke and Yoruichi's relationship and thought this theme would be a good one to let old Sandal-Hat and Strawberry have some male bonding time.


	81. Want

**Theme 24: Want**

She could see the predatory glint in his eyes as he moved in to claim her mouth. It made her shiver in anticipation. He was all power, his touches gentle on the surface but able to control even the tiniest reactions from her body. She wanted it. She wanted him. She wanted all of what he offered of himself, all of what he offered to do to her.

Above all else, she wanted _him_ to want _her._


	82. Drink

**Theme 78: Drink**

"Drink it."

Wordlessly, he downed the shot. The bartender refilled his glass. This time, he drank slowly, savoring the burn of the alcohol and the taste of the whiskey his companion ordered for him.

Next to him, Yoruichi shook her head. "You never were much of a drinker."

Kisuke smirked. "Never really saw the point in getting smashed. Kukaku might disagree with me."

"You know she would." Yoruichi sipped at her tequila. "Who's paying?"

Her companion raised his hand. "It's on me tonight."

"Will you ever let me pay?"

Slapping his money down for the bartender, Kisuke hopped off the barstool, hands in the pockets of his pullover. Yoruichi finished her drink and followed him out. Once they were out on the street, he removed his left hand from his pocket to take hers. "Wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I made a lady pay for the drinks, now would I?"

She darted out in front of him and kissed him. "Maybe not, but next time, I'm paying."


	83. Heal

**Theme 83: Heal**

Fingers worked quickly at the bandages, tightly binding the injury to staunch the bleeding and to support the torn muscles. "Feel alright?" He asked nervously. He was no healer.

She could barely nod, so close to unconsciousness as she was. He easily maneuvered her onto his back before shooting off in the direction that would lead to where the other captains and lieutenants were. "Stay with me," he begged. "Stay with me."

He barely held himself together when he was told she would heal. Thanks to his quick thinking, his best friend was going to be okay. She would stay with him.


	84. Lurking

**Theme 25: Lurking**

"So…why a cat?"

"It's easier to spy on Kisuke in the bath."

"That's not a reason, Yoruichi!"

"Sure it is."


	85. Mislead

**Theme 72: Mislead**

Urahara Kisuke loved to trick people. He was good at it, manipulative bastard that he was.

Those that knew the man often wondered if Kisuke ever found it infuriating that Yoruichi was able to see through all his bullshit.


	86. Snow

**Theme 66: Snow**

"C'mon! Let's build snowmen!"

Kisuke smiled good-naturedly as Jinta and Ururu raced into the front room to get their winter gear on. The snow, the last time he'd gone outside, was up to his knees. The kids would be lucky to get out the door, small as they were. "Don't stay out too long," he warned, sounding as though he were making a suggestion instead. "You'll catch cold if you do."

"Yeah, yeah." Jinta waved him off. That boy never gave any consideration to anything anyone ever told him. Yoruichi rolled her eyes as the door opened for a few seconds before being closed. It would serve him right if he wound up spending a few days in bed with a cold, the flu, or something worse. Not that she was wishing anything of the sort on Jinta, of course.

Sounds of a snowball fight reached their ears almost immediately following the sound of the door shutting. The sound of Renji -- who was likely returning from the Kurosaki residence -- cursing soon followed. Glancing at Yoruichi, Kisuke's smile morphed into something a little more sinister. She smirked back. Renji needed some backup. The kids were about to learn what a _real_ snowball fight was all about.


	87. Dirt

**Theme 47: Dirt**

Terra firma.

Normally, Yoruichi had no issue with stable ground. The only times she _did_ have a bone to pick with the stuff were when an opponent took a liking to flinging her into it face-first, and when Tessai spent hours watering his little garden out behind the shop.

Kisuke _knew_ she hated mud.

And damned if he didn't love exploiting it.


	88. Cold

**Theme 84: Cold**

Her coldness surprised them both. It wasn't like her to be so hateful, to say such things, even when she was too angry to think straight. But while he just continued to gape openly at her, she masked her surprise behind a faintly-trembling wall of anger.

And then she ran. She ran. And ran. And ran. Until she could run no more. It was all she could do.

When she stopped running, it was winter.

She was numb, frozen from the inside out, from the outside in.


	89. Wrath

**Theme 33: Wrath**

It was hard to imagine old Sandal-Hat being even remotely annoyed. They'd all seen Yoruichi-san get twitchy about things and lose her cool, that was nothing new. She wasn't as laid-back and goofy as her mate, but she did prefer to let things work themselves out without some sort of intervention unless absolutely necessary. Rather cat-like, really.

That was nothing in comparison to the anger of one Urahara Kisuke. The man just didn't seem to ever get his knickers in a twist over anything. They'd _heard_ that the ex-captain had gotten riled up every now and then, that he still could. All the same, there was a huge difference between _hearing_ stories and actually _seeing_ Urahara-san get angry.

They finally saw him lose his cool. As scared as Ichigo had been when Urahara-san restored his shinigami abilities – that sudden deadly calm in the man's voice, Ichigo admitted, nearly made him piss his pants – it was nothing. The unbridled rage they witnessed after their enemy deflected the combined attacks of Ishida and Chad, nearly killing Rukia, Ichigo and Yoruichi-san in the process.

He never responded to them when they yelled his name. He never reacted when the Hollow's claws pierced his flesh. Everything they saw was a horrifying display of raw and reckless power, an uncharacteristic lack of grace, and untamed bloodlust. There was nothing quick about the Hollow's demise; it was as though Urahara-san had decided to teach the heathen about the basic principles of karma. For every injury the monster inflicted upon his friends, Urahara Kisuke paid it back twice over.

It was only when Yoruichi-san limped to her partner's side and carefully took Benihime from his hands that the frenzied rage disappeared from Urahara-san's eyes. At first, concern flashed across his face, only to be replaced by the most heart-breaking look of sorrow they'd ever seen.

Only Yoruichi-san understood how to comfort him. All she had to do was stand by him. It was all she _could_ do.


	90. Horrorific

**Theme 65: Horrorific**

The most traumatic experience of their lives wasn't the day Aizen framed him, nor the time between Kurosaki Ichigo's near-death experience and the rescue party's return home (sans Kuchiki Rukia), nor any other time they or any of their friends could've died. Oh no, it was a four-way tie between the day they finally got married, the day she found out she was pregnant, the day she told him, and then the day their son was born.

"It's only when you do the things you don't normally do that you think the world is going to end," they reasoned. "It's also during those times that you really learn to appreciate the little things in life."

* * *

28 Nov 2008: Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!


	91. Two Guns

**Theme 45: Two Guns**

They were each other's best weapon.


	92. Foreign

**Theme 27: Foreign**

Trust the very notion of child-rearing to be something only the female half of the species could ever understand, he grouched to himself.

"Still getting used to it, hm?"

Kisuke peered over his shoulder to see the two captains – one sans his omnipresent and supremely dedicated lieutenant (who just so happened to be his newly-wedded wife) – he never expected to see in the living world. "Kyouraku-taichou, Ukitake-taichou…what brings you to my humble establishment?" He not-so-subtly attempted to quiet the squalling baby in his arms. Evidently, Yoruichi was the only one his son felt any sort of affection for. Kisuke didn't know whether he should be amused or deeply injured by this observation.

The two captains only smiled, and Kyouraku Shunsui reached out to hold the little one. With an eyebrow quirked skeptically, Kisuke passed his son to the older shinigami.

Almost instantly, the crying stopped. Kisuke's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets.

Kyouraku-taichou appeared unfazed by either the baby's sudden contentment or the father's flustered behavior. "Your wife wanted someone to come check on you, and seeing as we were conveniently available to do so, we volunteered our services." He grinned teasingly at the ex-captain. "It's not as hard to calm him down if you stay calm."

"I would like to point out that both of you have far more experience with children than I do."

"Hardly," the captain of the Eighth Division argued. "The idea of having kids is still a little hard for me to comprehend. Juushirou has far more experience with kids than I do. All the same, it just makes life difficult when we get worked up over something that isn't a total crisis."

Of course, reasoning like that would make sense. Kisuke nodded, face contorted slightly in concentration. "Wait, you said, 'the idea of having kids is still a little hard for me to comprehend.'" He paused for added effect, noting the sheepish grin on Kyouraku-taichou's face, before smirking himself. "I suppose congratulations are in order?"

Kyouraku-taichou bowed his head slightly, his cheeks stained a barely-noticeable shade of pink. "Thank you, Urahara-kun. I'll pass them along to Nanao as well." He carefully gave Kisuke's son back to him. The little boy never woke up.

The scientist chuckled lightly. The world was always full of surprises.


	93. Preservatives

**Theme 49: Preservatives**

They could always count on one another to watch each other's backs.

There was no need for further explanation. It was as simple as that.


	94. Night

**Theme 32: Night**

He loved her hair. It was dark and beautiful, much like the nights they spent together. On the flip side, however, it was as long as the nights they spent apart.


	95. Testament

**Theme 77: Testament**

There was nothing in either the Soul Society or the world of the living that could disprove the strength of their bond. Many have tried. All have failed.


	96. Drop

**Theme 46: Drop**

She could leave him in a heartbeat, find some other shinigami, and lead a respectable life like her father always intended for her. When Central 46 played both judge and jury in his trial, she could've ignored him and let him rot. After spiriting him and Tessai away, she could've just turned her back on him and walked away like he never existed.

She didn't.

She didn't have to come back.

She did.


	97. 67 percent

**Theme 70: 67%**

For a long time, they'd always felt that nagging, oppressive feeling that something was missing in their lives. It wasn't necessarily a _bad_ sort of nagging, like the kind they got when they were fighting an enemy, it was just…_annoying_. Annoying in the sense that they didn't know what it was, yet at the same time, they did know. Annoying in the sense that no matter how thoroughly they completed one another, they were still empty.

Yoruichi was the first to figure it out. Kisuke, being the joker that he was, laughingly teased her with mathematical and scientific explanations for their "problem."

All told, their little family was not entirely complete. Excluding the kids and Tessai, it was only two-thirds complete. The situation was remedied soon after, and the family was happy again.

Of course, they quickly found that seventy-five percent wasn't acceptable, either.


	98. Confrontation

**Theme 74: Confrontation**

"We are not discussing this," Yoruichi said firmly, her clipped tone betraying the frustration she felt toward the man seated beside her.

"Of course not," the man replied, voice falsely cheerful. "We never do."

If one were to walk into the shop now, he or she would notice that Tessai was conspicuously absent, as were the two kids that lived there. One would also notice the air of danger emanating from the shop itself. That alone would be enough to deter anyone from venturing up the walk, even if only to deliver the day's mail.

The man frowned darkly, his handsome face finally displaying the anger he, too, felt. "Why don't we ever discuss this, Yoruichi? Tell me, so that I might actually understand why you are so vehemently opposed to the idea."

"I don't want to talk about it, Kisuke."

He all but pinned her to the floor in a rare flash of temper. The delicious feel of their bodies pressed together was only slightly distracting to both of them. Anger, however, tempered any lustful desires. "Tell me, dammit," he growled. "Tell me why. We've been at each other's side for centuries. There are no secrets between us. So why the hell are you hiding from me now? Is this about your freedom, or are you ashamed of me? Which is it, Yoruichi?"

Yoruichi looked as though she'd been slapped. Kisuke very nearly gave in to the urge to apologize, to sooth the wounds he inflicted the only way he knew how. He hated the way she looked at him. But he was too angry to truly care if his words caused her pain or not. He was numb, inside and out.

He didn't flinch when her open hand connected with his cheek. "You are such an idiot," she hissed. Shoving him off, she stalked out of the room, out into the frigid winter night.


	99. Puzzle

**Theme 98: Puzzle**

Night and day, they were. Yin and Yang.

Perhaps they weren't as complicated as everyone previously thought.


	100. Moon

**Theme 34: Moon**

Kisuke once mused over the similarities between the moon and women. Both go through monthly cycles, both are ever changing, and both control the ebb and flow of the people around them with profound subtlety. Both are possessed with bewitching beauty.

As much as he loved the moon, though, Kisuke knew that his queen held an advantage over the moon. His queen was warm, he did not need to wear special clothing so the space around her wouldn't kill him, and she was always there so that he could prove his love to her again and again, as many times as need be.

If Yoruichi and the moon were to square off in a contest, Kisuke knew his queen would win. She'd already won his heart.

* * *

_07 December 2008_

I would like to thank all who have read, reviewed, and added this story to their favorites/story alert lists. I am very happy that you have enjoyed this collection as much as you have. Thank you.


	101. Chapter 101

**rapture has moved!**

Dear Readers,

In light of the recent vigilante movement here on , I have decided to relocate. These vigilantes seek to report and delete poorly-written stories and stories with questionable (mature) content. As some of my stories do contain explicit content, I would rather relocate than risk my stories being deleted by some pro-censorship fascist pig, or risk being banned.

You can now find me at archiveofourown [dot] org [slash] users [slash] rapturesrevenge. Everything, from story updates to new fics, will be posted here.

Archive of Our Own (AO3) is currently in beta. As of now, the only way to join is via invite. I signed up for an invite in October and received my invitation to join the site in December. So far, I really like the site. Should you choose to sign up for an invite, I hope you will like it, too.

This story, whether it is a oneshot or part of a multi-chapter fic, will remain here, untouched. Should the vigilante movement be found pointless and brought to an end, I might consider returning. Until then, I bed you all farewell, and I hope to see you again at AO3.

Yours,

rapture


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